Ditching-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. EWING 8v G. A. HENDERSON. D ITGHING MACHINE.

No. 283,765. Patented Aug. 28, 1883.

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ORVILLE EIVING AND GEORGE A. HENDERSON, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

'DETCHINGWMACHENE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,785, dated August 28, 1883,

(No model.)

The objects of our improvements are, first,

to cut the ditch tothe required width and depth by means of a vertically-moving spade cutting successive narrow vertical sections, one at each stroke; second, to provide means for elevating and distributing the earth loosened by the spade; third, to provide means whereby a person riding on the machine can regulate the grade of the bottom of the ditch by the aid of targets erected on the field, and a movable sight and stop i011 the machine; and fourth, to move the machine forward with a regularlyintermittent movement.

suitable steam boiler and engine are mountedon said frame near the traction-wheels. A pair of vertical parallel ways, a a, formed preferably of T-iron, are erected on frame-A and suitably braced thereon. The spade b is secured to the lower end of the spade-staff c, which is jointed at d in such a manner that it will bend back-- ward but not forward. The spade-staff is secured near the top to a cross-head, e, which fits and moves freely between the ways a a. The upper end of the spadestaff is provided with cog-teeth, forming a rack, f, the teeth of which inter-mesh with those of a pinion, g, on shaft h, which is journaled in bearings secured to the tops of the ways. Shaft h carries at one end a pair of loose pulleys, 03 j,

and betwecnthem a fast pulley, k. Said pulleys are connected by an open belt, m, and a cross-belt, a, with pulleys 0 p on the main shaft g, which is driven by the engine. On the opposite end of shaft h is a cone-pulley, Z, fitted to turn thereon. A clutch, Z, turns with the shaft and engages pulley Z, turning it with the shaft when turning in one direction, but slipping over and leaving the pulley station ary when turning in the opposite direction. Shafts r and s. also secured to the ways, carry the cone-pulley t and sprocket-wheels a, n, and w. A sprocketwh eel, m, is secured to the axle of the traction-wheels. Sprocket-wheels a, 'u, and a: are connected by chains 1 and z. A belt, a, connects cone-pulleys l and 25. Secured to the outside of one of ways a is a rack, 1/, into whichascrew-pinion, c, meshes. Said pinion is mounted in a frame, (1, which embraces and slides upon the way a. The pinion is revolved by a person riding on the machine turning the hand-wheel e. A sight, f, is attached to or formed upon frame (2', for a purpose hereinafter explained. On the front of the cross-head is a sliding bar, 9, having its ends bent to form oppositely-inclined planes, one of which strikes a corresponding incline on the sliding frame (2 as the spade nears the bottom of the ditch, and the other strikes a stop, h, secured to the way a, as the spade rises. Said bar gis connected by a rod, i, with a vertical rod, 9', which is provided at each end with an arm, k, pivoted at one end to the way a.

Rod t" embraces rod j loosely, so that it may slide up and down thereon. Ashifter, Z, connected with rod j, engages belts m and n.

The earth is excavated and raised after being cut down by the spade by means of the elevator m, and is conveyed to the rear of the machine by a conveyer, a. Said conveyer is pivoted at 0 to a frame erected on A, and the elevator is at the top hinged to the frame of said conveyer. The relative position of pivot o is such that the conveyer will be held in position by the weight of the elevator, the lower end of which is provided with a shoe, 8 which rests upon and smooths the bottom of the ditch. A platform, 1), is provided, on which tiles may be carried, and aworkman may stand to lay them in the ditch as it is made. Ahop per, 1", swiveled on the top of posts, receives the excavated earth as it falls from the conveyer. Said hopper may be set to guide the earth directly to the rear, and thus cover the tiles after they are laid, or to either side of the ditch.

The operation of our machine is as follows: The ditch is opened by hand to the required depth sufficiently to let the elevator rest on the bottom and be in position for working. Sliding stop d is then adjusted on way a by turning the screw-pinion 6 till the spade will move downward very nearly to the bottom of the ditch before sliding bar 9 will come in contact with the stop. Two targets are now erected at a considerable distance from the machine on the line of the proposed ditch. Their relative height is such that a straight line drawn through both targets and through sight f on stopd will be parallel with the inclination or grade of the ditch-bottom. Stop h is now set at such a point that the sliding bar will come in contact with it when the spadehas been raised clear of the surface." The engine is now started, belts m and nbein g in thepositions shown in Fig. 2, n being onthe fast pulley and m on the loose one. pinion g are turned, and the spade is forced down till sliding bar 9, coming in contact with stop d, is moved endwise in an obvious man ner, thus moving shifter l and throwing belt it off the fast pulley 7c and bringing belt m thereon, thus changing the direction of rotation of shaft p, and raising'the spade at the same time clutch l engages cone-pulley Z, and the belt h and chains y and 2 being set in motion thereby, the machine is moved slowly forward, the joint 01 in the spade-staff allowing it to yield to the forward movement ofthe machine while the spade is below the surface, but falling into line again when clear. When the spade has cleared the surface, sliding bar g comes'in contact withstop h, and the belts being; again shifted thereby, the machine ceases to move forward, clutch l slipping over'the clutch-teeth on' pulley l, and the spade again descends. As the workprogresses the attend- Shaft h and and the bottom of the ditch is smoothed by the shoe dragging thereon as the machine moves forward. By turning hopper rin the required direction the excavated earth is deposited in the ditch over the tile-drain or to one side, as

may be desired;

' We claim as our invention 1. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with a reciprocating spade and reversing mechanism for operating the same, of amovable stop provided with a sight, a belt-shifter, and

intermediate connecting mechanism, whereby the said shifter is operated and the movement of the spade controlled by said stop, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with spade b, spade-staff c, rack f, pinion g, shaft h, and means for rotating said shaft alternately in opposite directions, of clutch Z, pulley l, and means for transmitting motion from said pulley to traction-wheels, partially sustaining the machine, whereby the machine is intermittently moved forward, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a ditching-machine, conveyer n, pivoted to a support, as shown and described, elevator an, hinged to said conveyer, and provided with a shoe resting upon and adapted I to smooth the bottom of the ditch, all combined substantially as shown and described.

ORVILLE EWING. GEO. A. HENDERSON.

Witnesses:

' J. W. GREENFIELD,

F. A. KoRsMEYER. 

